This invention relates generally to skydiving and more particularly has reference to a parachute harness which allows two persons to descend in tandem with a single parachute.
One of the more frightening aspects of skydiving training is the realization that any mistakes made by a student during descent could be fatal. An instructor descending alongside the student could provide psychological support and could reinforce lessons learned on the ground, but he is in a poor position to render physical assistance. The student is left essentially on his own to execute the proper procedures.
The safety of skydiving training could be enhanced dramatically if the instructor were placed in a position to act as a back-up, executing those procedures which the student failed to perform or performed erroneously. One way to achieve that is to have the instructor and student descend in tandem using a single parachute. Unfortunately, a tandem descent can be extremely dangerous if the two participants do not maintain proper relative body positions. The danger is enhanced when conventional skydiving equipment is used because it does not take account of the different aerodynamic and load distribution requirements of a tandem descent. In addition, the use of conventional equipment would significantly diminish the benefits of a tandem descent because both participants would not have equal access to the various control devices which deploy the canopy.
A need exists for equipment which can be used by a student and instructor to descend in tandem without the attendant dangers and drawbacks.